Operating units for extractor covers



June 1959 A. MILLER OPERATING UNITS FOR EXTRACTOR COVERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 9, 1958 INVENTOR.

ABE MILLER ATTORNEYS June 2, 1959 A. MILLER 2,889,068

OPERATING UNITS FOR EXTRACT OR COVERS Filed Jan. 9, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ABE MILLER Qmxczs ATTORNEYS United States Patent ice OPERATING UNITS FOR EXTRACTOR (IOVERS Abe Miller, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Miller Laundry Machinery Company, Detroit, Mich.

Application January 9, 1958, Serial No. 708,037

3 Claims. (Cl. 220-66) This application relates to operating units for extractor machines such as are commonly found in commercial laundries. An extractor machine is a large diameter vertical cylindrical tub closed by a horizontal disk type cover and revolving on its vertical axis at high speeds. Because of the strains and stresses and capacities of such machines, the covers are usually extremely sturdy and heavy and can be lifted for opening and closing the tub only by mechanical means. These machines are made by various manufacturers in a variety of sizes, diameters, and heights.

An object of the present invention is to provide a selfcontained mechanical operating unit for extractor machine covers whose outstanding characteristic is its simplicity of design with a view to the device forming a self-contained complete unitary structure which may be applied to a variety of extractor machines and thus form a suitable and satisfactory mechanical operating unit for a previously installed machine.

A still further object is to provide a self-contained operating unit which may be manufactured and assembled in one plant as a complete unit and then may be shipped to a laundry having an already installed extractor machine, with the unit being applied to such machine as a unit and connected both to the tub and the cover so as to provide a satisfactory mechanical operating unit for the cover without being built integral with or especially for that machine, with the result that a previously installed machine may be equipped easily and conveniently with the self-contained operating unit of the invention.

Other objects of the present invention will best be understood upon reference to the appended drawings disclosing a preferred embodiment.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of the operating unit as applied to an extractor machine;

Fig. 2 is an end view as if from the right of Fig. 1 on arrow 2;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view as if from the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view like Fig. 2 except that the cover is shown lifted or swung open;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a box-like base of the unit.

Referring to the drawings, it will be observed that these show an extractor machine having a vertical cylindrical tub of large diameter, such as 60 inches or so, closed by a horizontal disk type cover 11 which is sturdy and heavy.

The self-contained operating unit which can be connected both to an already installed tub and cover comprises a box-like base 18 having a wall member 20 formed to be secured to and against the vertical wall of the tub and extending from bottom to top thereof and encompassing a substantial arc thereof as for example an arc of 30 or so degrees. The base is of very heavy metal and is extremely sturdy and may be secured by suitable bolts or welding to the tub.

The base has two outwardly radially projecting spaced 2,889,068 Patented June 2, V

vertical wings 21 at its vertical edges and these wings also extend from bottom to top of the base and form buttresses for the base. A top plate 22 connects the wings 21 and also is connected to the upper edge of the base 20.

With parts 20, 21 and 22 formed of heavy sheet metal and rigidly secured to one another as by welding, it will be observed that these parts together form a unitary boxlike base 18 of sturdy form secured over a substantial area to the vertical wall of the tub.

On the upper surface of the top plate, are formed spaced alined lugs 26 through which passes a horizontal axle 27 which is spaced radially from the upper edge of the tub. In the preferred form the spacing will be several inches or so.

The disk cover 11 has a vertical pin 31 at its center which projects upwardly.

Radial arms 32 lying over the cover 11 are connected at their ends to the ends of the axle 27 and to the pin 31. The outer ends of these arms overlie the wings 20.

Fluid pressure cylinders 41 positioned with their longitudinal axes vertical are mounted on the wings 21 and these cylinders have vertical piston rods 42 whose upper ends are connected to the arms 32 at 33 in any suitable manner and Whose lower ends are connected to pistons inside the cylinders.

Not shown, but in addition, there are provided the usual fluid pressure lines, controls, valves, switches, etc.; and these may be mounted on the base 18, with some of the parts being between the wings, and others on the outer faces of these wings 21.

The parts heretofore described, except for parts 10 and 11, when joined in the manner described, form a selfcontained operating unit which may be manufactured and assembled as a complete unit in a factory remote from a laundry where there is already existing a previously mounted tub and cover. The self-contained operating unit, once manufactured and assembled, may be shipped as a complete assembly to the laundry and there applied to the already existing and previously installed extractor and properly connected to the extractor to form an operating unit for the cover. The connection may be accomplished simply by securing the wall member 20 against the side wall of the tub and securing the arms 32 and a pin 31 to the cover 11, and of course, connecting the fluid pressure cylinders to a source of fluid under pressure and installing suitable controls for the pressure fluid.

In a preferred form, the construction will also include safety latches formed as part of the connection between the piston rods and the arms 32 whereby the: cover may be locked in open position mechanically so as to insure the cover remaining open despite the failure of pressure in the cylinders 4-1. The specific form of the safety latches is, of course, no part of the present invention which concerns itself only with the self-contained operating unit which in a preferred form includes such safety latches, preferably on the outside of the wings, for locking the cover open when the cover is swung open by the fluid pressure.

Now having described the self-contained operating unit herein disclosed, reference should be had to the claims which follow:

I claim:

1. For the cover of an extractor which comprises a vertical cylindrical tub with a horizontal disc cover, a selfcontained operating unit comprising a box-like base having a wall member formed to be secured to and against the vertical wall of the tub and extending from bottom to top thereof and encompassing a substantial are thereof, the base also having two outwardly radially projecting spaced wings at the vertical edges of the wall member, these wings extending from bottom to top of the wall member, a top plate connecting the two wings at their upper edges and also connected to the upper edge of the wall member, lugs on the upper surface of the top plate, a horizontal axle passing through said lugs and spaced radially from the upper edge of the tub, a vertical pin on the cover at its center and projecting upwardly, arms lying over said cover connected at their ends to the ends of the axle and to the pin, and arranged outside said lugs, fluid pressure cylinders positioned with their longitudinal axes vertical and mounted against outer surfaces of said wings and having vertical piston rods whose upper ends are connected to said arms and whose lower ends are connected to pistons inside said cylinders.

2. A construction as described in claim 1 wherein those ends of the arms which are connected to the axle are directly above said wings to facilitate connection of said piston rods to said arms.

3. A construction as described in claim 1 including safety latches for said cover also mounted on said wings and forming part of the connection between the piston rods and the arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

